The Transit Museum is hosting a subway-themed Valentine's Day Party tonight. (Click to enlarge)
In the history of New York culture, the subways have often been viewed as a romantic spot. In On The Town, for instance, one of the sailors on leave falls in love with a woman on a Miss Subway poster. In Sliding Doors, a movie based in London, Gwyneth Platrow’s love life changes based upon the people she meets on the subway. Today, the craigslist Missed Connections are dominated by stories of fleeting glances exchanged on a train and of men too shy to approach women and vice versa.
As today is the day of love, the New York Transit Museum is getting on the act. From 6-8 p.m. today in their Brooklyn Heights location, the museum is hosting a Missed Connections party. “Has someone slipped through your fingers that you’ve tried to find on craiglist?” the museume’s flyer asks. Head to the museum in an effort to find them.
Meanwhile, at Transportation Nation, Jim O’Grady talks to a few people who have found love underground. His piece is a heartwarming one for Valentine’s Day, and it highlights how, often, the toughest part of spotting someone cute on the subway can be saying hello. We’re so conditioned to avoid contact with strangers on the subway that even a simple greeting can be a tall order. Today, take the plunge: If you see someone, say something. If you’re too shy to talk, perhaps they’ll be at the Transit Museum tonight.